Our Mission, Story & Vision
Our Mission
Austin Allies' mission is to organize meaningful volunteer opportunities for families in the Greater Austin area by partnering with local nonprofits and those that they serve.
Our Story
Austin Allies is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization started in 2016 by three moms at a kitchen table in South Austin. Looking around at our neighborhood, city, state and country, we didn’t like what we saw - people were unhappy and unkind to each other, and we even saw it in our own kids. We wondered if taking care of others in our community might be just the thing everyone needed, and started calling local nonprofits to see how our families could help. We brought in some community-minded friends and their kids, who brought in their friends, and it just took off!
Since our first event in February of 2017, we have earned our 501(c)(3) status, welcomed 500 volunteer families and supported nearly 100 nonprofits and those that they serve! We are so proud and grateful to be making a small difference in our corner of the world.
Austin Allies founders Janene Franke, Vanessa Lowe, & Erika Nowlin
Creating encouraging cards for neighbors in senior living facilities.
Our Pivot
While we typically serve our partners on-site, since March 2020, Austin Allies has pivoted to providing 100% at-home volunteering. We provide the materials needed for each activity, whether that means picking them up from our nonprofit partners (thousands of diapers from Austin Diaper Bank, dozens of boxes of books from BookSpring) or purchasing them ourselves (items for creating 75 summer activity kits for Saint Louise House or 100 Valentine goodie bags for the children at SAFE). Our volunteer families sign up to participate, pick up the prepped materials to complete the project at home, and return them when they are finished. The Allies team then delivers the completed projects or collected goods to the nonprofit in need. Our goal is to make it as easy (and enjoyable!) as possible to volunteer with your family.
Our Beliefs
We Believe in Following the Example of our Partners
We believe that our non-profit partners are the leaders. As an organization, we strive to honor them by supporting the daily work they do. Their guidance, and not our desires, determine where and how we serve.
We Believe in Engaging with the Community
We believe that empathy is built when we engage actively with volunteer work. We offer in-person opportunities to work alongside non-profit partners and community members. Due to privacy and safety concerns, some of our partnerships are best served through donations, both monetary and in-kind, which are then processed via Allies. However, as often as possible, we strive to create opportunities to engage in-person alongside our partners and community members.
We Believe that Service Builds Equity
We do not see ourselves as separate from the people we serve. In honoring and engaging directly with our partners and their clients, we see Allies as part of a larger community of people working together to build a city that is more welcoming and equitable. Austin Allies believes that all people are worthy, deserve respect, and should be treated with dignity. Our members are active learners and informed citizens who see the value in supporting underserved communities.
We Believe in Building Future Citizens
Children are fundamental to our mission. We believe in teaching our children about service, equity and empathy. Our youngest Allies actively participate in service projects for their community, volunteer in-person, and learn about the world from rich, diverse stories.